Shoe construction.



T. J. ALDRIDGE 6L M. A. REILLY. SHOE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.z,1913.

1,101,379. Patented June 23, 1914 j] n t m Ww THOMAS J'. ALDR-IDGE AND REILLY ASSIGNOR MATTHEVJ A. REILLY. O'E' ROCHESTER. T'Ei YORK; SAID TO SAID ALDRIDGE.

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 2. 1913. Serial No. 793.005.

T0 all vello/1i, i'; 117/13/ concern Be it known that we, 'Fi-Ion \s .1, Ammonia and Maru-inw lli-:n.liv. citizens of the United States` residing.I at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York. have. invented certain new and useful [n1- proveinents in Shoe Constructions, ol which the following' is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in boot and .shoe constructions and lies particularly in the provision of a stitfeningJ member coi'iperating with a. support. .vhereby not onl)v is the boot or shoe prevented from losingF its original shape. buty a proper support for the arch of the foot is thereby provided.

lVe are aware that constructions of this nature have been proposed heretofore but certain disadvantages have arisen incidental to their use and it has been our object in the present; invention to overcome these disadvantages by employing a metallic or similar stitleningy member in conjunction with a particularly shaped counter.

lith the above and other objects in view.

this invention consists in the consti-action. combination. and arrangement ot' parts. all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the. accompanying drawings. wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insole structure for a boot, shoe or the like. provided with our stitl'ener and support. Fig. Q is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line Q--Q of Fig. 1; Fig. El is a perspective view of the arch support alone; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken about on the line 4-4/1 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a diagraumiatie view showing a modified eonstruction of the invention, with the Counter and aroh support extended around the inner and outer sides of the insole.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by lilte reference characters.

It is to be noted that in structures such as are comprehended in,this .application a very slight change either in length or material results 'in Certain advantages, and we have therefore taken' this into consideration in the construction of our invention. To this end, and referring to the drawings, 1 indicates an insole structure of the nsual material and shape, according to the general sizes. to

which is secured in any desired manner the counter The counter 2 extends preferably around the outer portion of the insole 1 to a pointending with the heel of the foot of the wearer, while on the inner side, Said counter extends to a point opposite the first joint of the foot bones. The counter 2 is of the usual stiff leather and shaped to conform to the heel and instep of the foot along its elongated side, designated b'y the nan'le'ral 2. Prior to the attachment of the counter 2 to the insole 1 it is split longitudinalli,Y along the inner ,side Q', preferably from its bottom, and between the two layers or Walls thus formed an arch support; 3 is inserted. The arch support 3 is elongated and oonforms to the shape of the counter 2 and nee essarily to the shape of the foot. as above described with reference to the counter. It will be obvions that to depend upon the stiff leather Counter .l entirely to hold the shape and support the arch of the foot' as desired would result. disastrouslv when the leather had become softened by moisture from withini7 or perspiration. and troni moisture externally, which would cause the structure to fall down. The moisture from within also softens the counter and sometimes rubs the foot of the wearer. lVe have` therefore. einployed the arch support' 3 which is preferably of metal such as steel. or it ma)r be of fiber or like hard substance, and by uriliinfr the same of proper shape noty cal;r is the original shape of the shoe held but the arch along which it extends is supported. the

-plate spanning the areh of the foot so that its bearing is upon the heel at its rear end and upon the toe portion of ther structure at its front end.

1t will be apparent that a shoe provided with the arch support herein described mav be of the proper size to tit the foot of the wearer and the necessitxT of using,Y a larger size in order to aeeoinniodate a removable arch prop sometimes inserted inside of the shoe is not necessary.

As will be obvious, the invention herein described is particularly useful when employed in the construction of low shoes, slippers, punjs or the like, because such articles are. predisposed to become misshapen from tlr; wel; of support in the. ordinaryv eonstrintion. Not only does the extension of the eonnter to the ball or toe partion of the shoe resist primarily the lat.;A al

Patenten .time 2s, 1914.'r

'in thenumeral 1 designates stresses or pressure of the foot against the shoe, but the employment of the metallic arch support therewith takes up the vertical or downward pressure against said shoe.

The metallic plate 3 is easily inserted between the Walls of the counter, the lower edges of which may then be readily bent laterally and fastened beneath the inner sole l, and it will be understood that the counter as well as the plate may be extended around both sides of the inner sole, conforming to the shape of the foot, as most clearly shown in the diagrammatic view of Fig. 5 Where` the inner sole, the numeral 2 the counter secured thereto in the unsual manner, and the numeral 3 the metallic arch support coperating with said counter.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

The combination. witha boot or shoe comprising an insole and -a counter secured thereto,v said counter extending only from the front `portion of the heel at one side around the heel and along the opposite side of the shoe to a point beyond the arch of the same and opposite the large toe joint, said counter being split upwardly from its bottom portion along the elongated side of the saine, of a metallic arch supporting member disposed in the split of the counter on said elongated side, conforming substantially to the shape of the elongated portion of the counter, and having a length and a bearing on the sole from approximately the base of the arch at the large toe portieri to the base of the arch at the heel on the saine side of the shoe.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures in presence ot' two Witnesses.

THOMAS J. ALDRIDGE. MATTHElV A. REILLY. Witnesses Urso. R. VAN .ALsTrNn,

HAMLET A. SMYTH. 

